I would like to ask if there is anyone who could tell me a bit about the postgraduate studies in English Language. Nevertheless, I do not know which university (or course) is worth applying for. Maybe there's someone studying it at the moment. I would appreciate any help in this matter.
I'm currently living in Paris, I finished BA studies in English Literature in Poland and I would like to be enrolled in a Master’s program in Paris. I've never studied in France, so I don't know the system very well, so I decided to ask here for some information.
I've checked the web-sites, I have found out about the application requirements, I have read the programme, but I don't know in practice which university programme and the atmosphere of studying seems to be the most interesting.
I would prefer to follow British Literature course and maybe by any chance there is anyone who studies/studied it and can suggest me one of the universities?
One of my main problems is that my level of French is not exceptionally high, I can pass the French exam for foreigners, but I am afraid French during lectures would be too difficult for me to understand fully. Is there a lot of lectures in French?
I would be really happy if anyone could help me.
The MA studies in English at the university in Paris
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miss_lavender
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Well, I know quite well the french universities system, but my english is not very high too... Anthos is right : you should re-ask your questions in the french part of that forum... It would be a good exercise !
One example : whereas every university in France is "public" (= belongs the State, and every lecturer or professor is civil-servant), and whereas every one depends of the Ministry for Education, they could be several universities in the same town, doing more or less the same things. French or English litterature could be found in Paris III, Paris IV, Paris VII, Paris IX, Paris XII and Paris XIII. The well-known Sorbonne is not one but four universities, sharing the old building like a cake...
Second is : the most important goals for french students are not the diplomas stricto sensu, but the concours (competitive examination for recruiting secondary teachers (who are also civil-servants), but inaswell seen as "real" diplomas, more important than official diplomas), i.e. the CAPES (which requires a licence = BA) and the more hardly obtainable agrégation (which requieres a maîtrise, i.e. the first year of master). For exampe, it is quite impossible to be recruited as lecturer in a french university after having made your studies in France and even getted on a PhD (doctorat) if you are not agrégée too.
Third is : whereas we have adopted the so-called european (in facts, american) system, there is not realy one two-year-lasting diploma called master, but two : the maîtrise or "Master 1", during the year after the BA, and the Diplôme d'Etudes approfondies, or DEA or yet called "master 2" after the "master 1".
In both case, you have to do a mémoire (minor thesis, 100 pages) during the year, under the management of a directeur de mémoire, and in the same way, follow some lectures. The system is know depending of every university, but the lectures could quite important in "master 1" (about 10 hours / week) - and for master 2, universities give often "credits" to the agrégés, so that they have to follow just a few lectures (it is my case : only 3 hours / week on first semester and 2 on the second, which are 20% of the final mark), but not to others one. A part of them forces their "master 1" students on going to the special courses for agrégation.
There is certain program's for greeting foreign students in certain universities, like the CIEF (Centres Internationaux d'Etudes Françaises... But they are quite complicated too....
I'm very hopeless in english...
First is : the french system is very, very, very, very, very (etc.) complicated... Even the french students have difficults to understand its functionning. Moreover, it knows at current time very deep transformations.I'm currently living in Paris, I finished BA studies in English Literature in Poland and I would like to be enrolled in a Master’s program in Paris. I've never studied in France, so I don't know the system very well, so I decided to ask here for some information.
One example : whereas every university in France is "public" (= belongs the State, and every lecturer or professor is civil-servant), and whereas every one depends of the Ministry for Education, they could be several universities in the same town, doing more or less the same things. French or English litterature could be found in Paris III, Paris IV, Paris VII, Paris IX, Paris XII and Paris XIII. The well-known Sorbonne is not one but four universities, sharing the old building like a cake...
Second is : the most important goals for french students are not the diplomas stricto sensu, but the concours (competitive examination for recruiting secondary teachers (who are also civil-servants), but inaswell seen as "real" diplomas, more important than official diplomas), i.e. the CAPES (which requires a licence = BA) and the more hardly obtainable agrégation (which requieres a maîtrise, i.e. the first year of master). For exampe, it is quite impossible to be recruited as lecturer in a french university after having made your studies in France and even getted on a PhD (doctorat) if you are not agrégée too.
Third is : whereas we have adopted the so-called european (in facts, american) system, there is not realy one two-year-lasting diploma called master, but two : the maîtrise or "Master 1", during the year after the BA, and the Diplôme d'Etudes approfondies, or DEA or yet called "master 2" after the "master 1".
In both case, you have to do a mémoire (minor thesis, 100 pages) during the year, under the management of a directeur de mémoire, and in the same way, follow some lectures. The system is know depending of every university, but the lectures could quite important in "master 1" (about 10 hours / week) - and for master 2, universities give often "credits" to the agrégés, so that they have to follow just a few lectures (it is my case : only 3 hours / week on first semester and 2 on the second, which are 20% of the final mark), but not to others one. A part of them forces their "master 1" students on going to the special courses for agrégation.
What do you mean exactly ? Languages tests like DELF or DALF ? Or the universities' exams ?can pass the French exam for foreigners
There is certain program's for greeting foreign students in certain universities, like the CIEF (Centres Internationaux d'Etudes Françaises... But they are quite complicated too....
I'm very hopeless in english...
La plupart des occasions des troubles du monde sont grammairiennes (Montaigne, II.12)
- I wouldn't say hopeless - it's a bit rough in some places but understandable !
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miss_lavender
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Merci beaucoup :-)
I have some knowledge about the matters you mentioned, only from a theoretical point of view, but I was happy to see I'm not confused in all these complicated matters.
The change into the system of 3+2 is more clear for me, so now it seems to be easier for foreigners to complete their studies abroad with better ability to compare their diplomas.
Oh, I'm not even dreaming of getting CAPES, not to mention aggregation - I just simply want to finish my education on the Master's degree, and I would be satisfied.
So, I just wondered which course is the most interesting at the unis, I paid the biggest attention to Paris III and IV, but I am not so sure if I can get accepted. I try to take all the options...
The French exam for foreigners... I don't mean DELF or DALF - I haven't taken any course which could prepare me for this kind of exam, plus there are some rigid schedules for exam sessions. So I know I would need to take an exam like TCF (Test de Connaissance du Francais) or the exam at the university (like at Paris IV).
And please, your English isn't hopeless... You've not seen my French :-)
Bonne nuit :-)
I have some knowledge about the matters you mentioned, only from a theoretical point of view, but I was happy to see I'm not confused in all these complicated matters.
The change into the system of 3+2 is more clear for me, so now it seems to be easier for foreigners to complete their studies abroad with better ability to compare their diplomas.
Oh, I'm not even dreaming of getting CAPES, not to mention aggregation - I just simply want to finish my education on the Master's degree, and I would be satisfied.
So, I just wondered which course is the most interesting at the unis, I paid the biggest attention to Paris III and IV, but I am not so sure if I can get accepted. I try to take all the options...
The French exam for foreigners... I don't mean DELF or DALF - I haven't taken any course which could prepare me for this kind of exam, plus there are some rigid schedules for exam sessions. So I know I would need to take an exam like TCF (Test de Connaissance du Francais) or the exam at the university (like at Paris IV).
And please, your English isn't hopeless... You've not seen my French :-)
Bonne nuit :-)